1993 National League Championship Series
Encyclopedia
Game 1
Wednesday, October 6, 1993 at Veterans StadiumVeterans Stadium
Philadelphia Veterans Stadium was a professional-sports, multi-purpose stadium, located at the northeast corner of Broad Street and Pattison Avenue, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as part of the South Philadelphia Sports Complex...
in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
Curt Schilling
Curt Schilling
Curtis Montague "Curt" Schilling is a former American Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. He helped lead the Philadelphia Phillies to the World Series in and won World Series championships in with the Arizona Diamondbacks and in and with the Boston Red Sox. Schilling retired with a...
began the series spectacularly by striking out the first five hitters he faced. The game would be back and forth and low-scoring. A wild-pitch by Atlanta starter Steve Avery
Steve Avery
Steven Thomas Avery is a former left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who was a young star with the Atlanta Braves in the early 1990s.-Young Gun:...
allowed Philadelphia to a take 3–2 sixth inning lead. The Braves manufactured the tying run in the ninth inning, but the Phillies won the game dramatically 4–3 in the tenth when Kim Batiste
Kim Batiste
Kimothy Emil Batiste is a former Major League Baseball player for the Philadelphia Phillies and San Francisco Giants , both of the National League. He was drafted in the third round of the amateur draft by the Phillies. His major league debut came in with the Phillies...
, whose error had helped the Braves tie the game, lined a double just beyond the reach of Atlanta third baseman Terry Pendleton
Terry Pendleton
Terry Lee Pendleton is a former third baseman in Major League Baseball, and a former hitting coach and current first base coach of the Atlanta Braves. He played primarily for the St. Louis Cardinals and Atlanta Braves, but he also spent time with the Florida Marlins, Cincinnati Reds, and Kansas...
to score John Kruk
John Kruk
John Martin Kruk is a former Major League Baseball player and current baseball analyst for ESPN.-Early life and career:...
. Schilling finished the game with eight innings pitched and ten strikeouts in the no-decision.
Game 2
Thursday, October 7, 1993 at Veterans StadiumVeterans Stadium
Philadelphia Veterans Stadium was a professional-sports, multi-purpose stadium, located at the northeast corner of Broad Street and Pattison Avenue, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as part of the South Philadelphia Sports Complex...
in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
The Braves offense crushed Phillies starter Tommy Greene
Tommy Greene
Ira Thomas Greene , is a former Major League Baseball player who pitched from 1989 to 1995 and 1997. He pitched for the Atlanta Braves, Philadelphia Phillies and Houston Astros.-Pro career:...
right away in Game 2. An upper deck shot by Fred McGriff
Fred McGriff
Frederick Stanley McGriff is a left-handed former Major League Baseball player who starred for several teams from the mid-1980s until the early 2000s. A power-hitting first baseman with a tall, lanky build, the five-time All-Star became, in , the first player since the dead-ball era to lead both...
gave Atlanta a 2–0 first inning lead. Behind home runs by Jeff Blauser
Jeff Blauser
Jeffrey Michael Blauser is a former Major League Baseball shortstop. He played for the Atlanta Braves and Chicago Cubs from 1987 to 1999.-Career:...
and Damon Berryhill
Damon Berryhill
Damon Scott Berryhill is a former Major League Baseball catcher who played ten seasons for the Chicago Cubs, the Atlanta Braves, the Boston Red Sox, the Cincinnati Reds, and the San Francisco Giants from to . He threw right and was a switch hitter...
, the Braves had built an 8–0 lead by the third inning. The Braves piled it on, with Terry Pendleton
Terry Pendleton
Terry Lee Pendleton is a former third baseman in Major League Baseball, and a former hitting coach and current first base coach of the Atlanta Braves. He played primarily for the St. Louis Cardinals and Atlanta Braves, but he also spent time with the Florida Marlins, Cincinnati Reds, and Kansas...
hitting a fifth-inning homer and Ron Gant
Ron Gant
Ronald Edwin "Ron" Gant is a former American Major League outfielder and second baseman earlier on who played for the Atlanta Braves , Cincinnati Reds , St...
adding a three-run double in the eighth. Greg Maddux
Greg Maddux
Gregory Alan Maddux , nicknamed "Mad Dog" and "The Professor", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He was the first pitcher in major league history to win the Cy Young Award for four consecutive years , a feat matched only by Randy Johnson...
gave up just two runs in seven innings in the 14–3 rout, which tied the series as the teams headed south to Atlanta.
Game 3
Saturday, October 9, 1993 at Atlanta-Fulton County StadiumAtlanta-Fulton County Stadium
Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, often shortened to "Fulton County Stadium," was a multi-purpose stadium that formerly stood in Atlanta, Georgia, United States.-History:...
in Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
Tom Glavine
Tom Glavine
Thomas Michael Glavine is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher.With 164 victories during the 1990s, Glavine was the second winningest pitcher in the National League, second only to teammate Greg Maddux's 176...
surrendered only two runs in seven quality innings, while the Atlanta offense, which had been held scoreless for five innings by Terry Mulholland
Terry Mulholland
Terence John Mulholland is a retired Major League Baseball pitcher. He threw left-handed and batted right-handed.-Early and personal life:...
, erupted for nine runs in the sixth and seventh innings to break the game open. David Justice
David Justice
David Christopher Justice is a former outfielder and designated hitter in Major League Baseball who played for the Atlanta Braves , Cleveland Indians , New York Yankees , and Oakland Athletics .-Early life:David was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, the son of Robert and Nettie Justice...
provided the go-ahead hit with a two-run double and second baseman Mark Lemke
Mark Lemke
Mark Alan Lemke is a former Major League Baseball player. Nicknamed "The Lemmer", he was a popular second baseman for the Atlanta Braves from to .-Biography:...
had four RBIs as the Braves won the game 9–4, and seemingly took control of the series.
Game 4
Sunday, October 10, 1993 at Atlanta-Fulton County StadiumAtlanta-Fulton County Stadium
Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, often shortened to "Fulton County Stadium," was a multi-purpose stadium that formerly stood in Atlanta, Georgia, United States.-History:...
in Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
John Smoltz
John Smoltz
John Andrew Smoltz is an American former Major League Baseball pitcher and active sportscaster. He is best known for his prolific career of more than two decades with the Atlanta Braves, in which he garnered eight All-Star selections and received the Cy Young Award in 1996...
and Danny Jackson
Danny Jackson
Danny Lynn Jackson was a pitcher with a 15-year career from to . He played for the Kansas City Royals of the American League and the Cincinnati Reds, Chicago Cubs, Pittsburgh Pirates, Philadelphia Phillies, St...
faced off in a close Game 4. The Braves took an early 1–0 lead on a Mark Lemke
Mark Lemke
Mark Alan Lemke is a former Major League Baseball player. Nicknamed "The Lemmer", he was a popular second baseman for the Atlanta Braves from to .-Biography:...
double, but the Phillies went on top in the fourth inning with two unearned runs punctuated by a go ahead RBI hit by the starter Jackson. Atlanta had baserunners throughout the rest of the game, but could not get a clutch hit as the Phillies hung on to win 2–1. Phillies closer Mitch Williams allowed the first two runners to reach in the ninth, but a double play groundout by Ron Gant helped him get out of it and earn the save.
Game 5
Monday, October 11, 1993 at Atlanta-Fulton County StadiumAtlanta-Fulton County Stadium
Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, often shortened to "Fulton County Stadium," was a multi-purpose stadium that formerly stood in Atlanta, Georgia, United States.-History:...
in Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
With the series tied 2–2, the Phillies and Braves needed extra innings to decide Game 5. Philadelphia got on the board in the first off Steve Avery when Mariano Duncan singled and Kruk doubled down the right field line. In the bottom of the first, the Braves missed a chance to score when Fred McGriff hit one off the top of the right field fence sending Jeff Blauser racing around third to try to score. However, Wes Chamberlain fielded the carom cleanly, threw to shortstop Kevin Stocker, who then relayed the ball home to nail Blauser. In the fourth the Phils went up 2–0 on Chamberlain's sac fly which scored Pete Incaviglia who had reached on a three base error committed by Ron Gant. Meanwhile, Curt Schilling was again lights out, tossing nine strikouts. In the top of the ninth, a seemingly inconsequential insurance run scored when Darren Daulton homered off Greg McMichael.
However, up 3–0 entering the bottom of the ninth, trouble brewed on the horizon. Schilling walked Blauser to open the frame. Then Gant hit a sharp grounder to third which Kim Batiste booted for his second key error of the series. Williams was again asked to relieve Schilling, who would take a seat in the dugout peeking in through a towel at the beleaguered closer. The first batter Williams faced, McGriff, roped an RBI single past Duncan sending Blauser home and Gant to third. David Justice then hit a sac fly to left scoring Gant which cut the lead to 3–2. Terry Pendleton followed with a bullet past the mound and '92 LCS hero Francisco Cabrera chopped a ball up the middle that skipped past Stocker's glove to tie the game at 3–3. With one out and Pendleton taking third on the hit, the series was hanging in balance with the Braves 90 feet away from victory. The next batter Mark Lemke lined a shot down the left field line that looked to be a game-ending base hit for Atlanta. The crowd at Fulton County Stadium screamed and then sighed as the ball veered foul at the last second. Williams regrouped to strikeout Lemke and got Bill Pecota on a flyout to hold the game even.
In the tenth, Lenny Dykstra vaulted Philadelphia back into the lead when he drilled a full count Mark Wohlers fastball over the fence in dead center field. 40-year-old Larry Anderson then came on in the bottom half to retire the Braves in order, closing out the 4–3 nail biter. The victory put the Phillies up 3–2 going back to the Vet.
Game 6
Wednesday, October 13, 1993 at Veterans StadiumVeterans Stadium
Philadelphia Veterans Stadium was a professional-sports, multi-purpose stadium, located at the northeast corner of Broad Street and Pattison Avenue, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as part of the South Philadelphia Sports Complex...
in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
Trying to force a Game 7, the Braves sent their ace, Greg Maddux
Greg Maddux
Gregory Alan Maddux , nicknamed "Mad Dog" and "The Professor", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He was the first pitcher in major league history to win the Cy Young Award for four consecutive years , a feat matched only by Randy Johnson...
to the mound in Game 6. However, a Mickey Morandini
Mickey Morandini
Michael Robert "Mickey" Morandini is a former All-Star second baseman who played for the Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago Cubs, and Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball, and the current manager of the A-level Williamsport Crosscutters...
line drive in the first inning hit Maddux in the leg. He stayed in the game, but was not himself. Darren Daulton
Darren Daulton
Darren Arthur Daulton , nicknamed Dutch, is a former catcher in Major League Baseball best remembered for his years with the Philadelphia Phillies...
hit a two-run double in the third and Dave Hollins
Dave Hollins
David Michael Hollins is a former third baseman in Major League Baseball. He played baseball at Orchard Park High School, where he graduated in 1984. He attended the University of South Carolina. He was selected by the San Diego Padres in the 6th round of the 1987 amateur draft...
connected for a two-run homer in the fifth, putting Philadelphia on top 4–1. Morandini's two-run triple in the sixth finally chased Maddux. Atlanta shortstop Jeff Blauser
Jeff Blauser
Jeffrey Michael Blauser is a former Major League Baseball shortstop. He played for the Atlanta Braves and Chicago Cubs from 1987 to 1999.-Career:...
had a home run to make it 6–3, but Mitch Williams finished the Braves with a perfect ninth.
Although he did not get any decisions during his two appearances in the six-game series, Curt Schilling
Curt Schilling
Curtis Montague "Curt" Schilling is a former American Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. He helped lead the Philadelphia Phillies to the World Series in and won World Series championships in with the Arizona Diamondbacks and in and with the Boston Red Sox. Schilling retired with a...
's 1.69 ERA
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
and nineteen strikeouts were still enough to earn him the 1993 NLCS Most Valuable Player Award. Schilling became the only pitcher in major league history to be named a postseason series MVP (League Championship Series or World Series) without either a pitching decision or a save, as of 2008.
Composite box
1993 NLCS (4–2): Philadelphia PhilliesPhiladelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
over Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
Aftermath
In the 1993 World Series1993 World Series
-Game 1:Saturday, October 16, 1993 at SkyDome in Toronto, OntarioThe Series' first game sent two staff aces—Curt Schilling for Philadelphia and Juan Guzman for Toronto—against one another. The result was less than a pitcher's duel, however, as both teams scored early and often.The deciding plays...
, the Phillies put up a good fight against the defending champion Toronto Blue Jays
1993 Toronto Blue Jays season
The Toronto Blue Jays season involved the Blue Jays finishing first in the American League East with a record of 95 wins and 67 losses. They were shut out only once in 162 regular-season games. The Blue Jays would repeat as World Champions and become the first back-to-back champions since the New...
, but they fell 4–2 due to Joe Carter
Joe Carter
Joseph Christopher Carter is a former right fielder in Major League Baseball who played from to . Carter is most famous for hitting a walk-off home run to win the 1993 World Series for the Toronto Blue Jays....
's dramatic three-run walk-off home run
Walk-off home run
In baseball, a walk-off home run is a home run that ends the game. It must be a home run that gives the home team the lead in the bottom of the final inning of the game—either the ninth inning, or any extra inning, or any other regularly scheduled final inning...
off Philadelphia closer Mitch Williams in Game 6. Although Williams is most often associated with Carter's home run, he was one the major reasons why the Phillies got to the World Series in the first place. In the NLCS, Williams was the winning pitcher in Games 1 and 5, but only because he gave up the game-tying runs. In addition, he saved Game 4 and the clincher, Game 6 for the Phillies.